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It is difficult to predict when the influenza activity will peak or if it has already peaked

WHO spokesman

But more than 13,000 people who died in the week were over the age of 65 and 6,621 were over 85.

The rising numbers have been recognised by Public Health England, which in a flu bulletin this week said "statistically significant excess all-cause mortality by week of death was seen" among over-65s in the second week of January.

The only other occasion when there were more than 15,000 deaths in a single week in recent years was the second week of January in 2015, when the total registered was 16,237.

One cause of this January’s high death rate may be that the H3N2 flu strain - known as “Aussie flu” after a major outbreak in Australia - is resistant against vaccination among the elderly.

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A spokesman said: “In North America Influenza-like Illness levels are similar to those seen in 2014-2015 season, which was the most severe season in recent years, and influenza A is the main circulating virus.

“In some Western European countries hospitalisation rates have already reached high levels.

“It is difficult to predict when the influenza activity will peak or if it has already peaked.”